Chapter 31 Morning After Promises
Elena woke up to sunlight cutting through the gaps in her curtains and the weight of an arm draped over her waist.
For a moment, she did nothing. Just lay there feeling the warmth of Pierce's body pressed against her back, his breath steady against her her neck, and his hand spread possessively across her stomach.
Then she remembered last night. Heat flooded through her. Elena opened her eyes slowly, staring at the wall.
She didn't regret anything at all. But everything was different now, everything had changed now.
Pierce stirred behind her, his arm tightening briefly before he went still. Elena felt the exact moment he woke up. Neither of them moved.
The silence stretched, heavy with everything unspoken.
"You're awake," Pierce said finally, his voice rough with sleep.
"Yeah." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"How long ago?"
"A few minutes."
Another pause, Elena could feel his heart beating against her back.
"Do you regret it?" Pierce asked quietly.
"No." Elena turned in his arms to face him. His hair was messy and his eyes still heavy with sleep. "What about you?"
"No." His hand came up to brush hair away from her face, fingers stopping on her cheek. "Never."
They looked at each other in the morning light, neither of them quite sure of what came next.
"This is weird," Elena said finally.
Pierce's lips twitched. "Good weird or bad weird?"
"I don't know yet."
He pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "We'll figure it out."
Elena buried her face in his chest, breathing him in. "What happens now?"
"Now we get up. Have coffee." He said. "Pretend we know what we're doing."
She laughed despite herself. "That's your plan?"
"Do you have a better one?"
"No i don't."
Pierce's hand moved through her hair, gentle and soothing. They lay there for a few more minutes, neither ready to leave the comfort of this bed, or the moment.
Eventually, Elena pulled back. "I need a shower."
"You want company?" Pierce asked with a smirk.
She raised an eyebrow. "Is that a good idea?"
Pierce's eyes darkened. "Probably not."
"Then yes."
The shower was small, barely enough room for two people, but they made it work. Pierce's hands on her waist as she tipped her head back under the water. Elena's fingers tracing the scars on his chest, the bullet wound she'd treated weeks ago that had started all of this.
"Does it still hurt?" she asked, touching the scar gently.
"No." Pierce caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. "Not anymore."
The water ran hot between them, steam filling the small space. Elena reached for the shampoo but Pierce took it from her, working it through her hair with careful fingers.
When they finally got out, skin flushed from heat and each other, Elena wrapped herself in a towel and looked at Pierce through the steam-fogged mirror.
"We can't just stay in this apartment forever," she said.
"I know."
"I have work." She said firmly. "You have... whatever it is you do."
Pierce moved behind her, hands on her hips, meeting her eyes in the mirror. "We'll figure it out, Elena. One day at a time."
She wanted to ask what they were now, if he felt the same way as she did, if he was just as terrified and certain at the same time.
But she didn't. Instead, she turned in his arms and kissed him.
By the time they made it to the kitchen, both of them dressed, Elena felt slightly more grounded. Pierce made coffee while she started on breakfast.
They ate at her small kitchen table, knees touching underneath, stealing glances between bites. Darrel jumped onto Elena's lap, purring loudly, and Pierce reached over to scratch behind his ears.
"Your cat really likes me," Pierce said.
"Don't let it go to your head." Elena said. "Darrel likes everyone."
"Suzie doesn't."
"Suzie doesn't like anyone." She corrected. "Including me, sometimes."
Pierce smiled, in a way Elena had never seen before. She couldn't help but stare at him.
"What?" he asked, catching her staring.
"Nothing." Her voice cracked slightly. "You just... you smiled."
"Yeah, I do smile sometimes." He said, his voice rough.
"Not like that."
Something shifted in his expression. He set down his fork and reached across the table, taking her hand. "Elena."
"Yeah?"
"This is real." He said quietly. "Whatever this is, is what making me smile in a way I haven't for years now. I need you to know that."
Her heart stuttered. "I know."
"I'm not good at this. At relationships or feelings or any of it." His thumb traced circles on her palm. "But I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."
Elena squeezed his hand. "Neither am I."
They stayed like that for a moment, until Pierce's phone buzzed on the table. They both looked at it.
Pierce sighed, picking it up. "It's Marcus."
"You should answer."
He did, his expression shifting immediately into something harder. "What is it?"
Elena couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, but she watched Pierce's face, saw the tension return to his shoulders.
"Handle it. I'll be there in an hour." He hung up and looked at Elena. "I have to go. There's an issue at one of the warehouses."
Reality, crashing back in.
"Is it bad?" She asked, already getting worried.
"No. Just business." Pierce stood, but he didn't move toward the door. Instead, he came around the table and cupped her face, kissing her, hard. "I'll be back tonight."
"I might not be here." She said, her face flushed. "I need to go to D'Corporation. Sign some final paperwork."
"Derek can take you."
"Pierce..."
"I'm not negotiating on this." His voice was firm but gentle.
Elena wanted to argue. Wanted to insist she could take care of herself. But the truth was, she liked knowing someone was looking out for her. Liked that Pierce cared enough to make sure she was safe.
"Fine," she said. "But only because you asked nicely."
Pierce's lips twitched. "I didn't ask nicely."
"Yes you did." She said, smiling.
He kissed her again, slower this time, like he was memorizing the taste of her. When he pulled back, his eyes were serious.
"Tonight," he said. "We'll figure out the rest tonight."
"Tonight," Elena agreed.
She watched him leave, heard the door close, the apartment suddenly too quiet without him.
Elena looked around her kitchen, at the two coffee mugs on the table, the rumpled blanket still on the couch from nights ago, the life she'd built here that was nothing like the life she'd planned.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Derek: Ready when you are. Boss wants me to take you to D'Corp.
Elena smiled without meaning to.
She grabbed her bag, checked that Suzie and Darrel had food, and headed for the door.
Time to face the world as the woman who'd just slept with Chicago's most dangerous man.
The woman who was falling for him despite every reason not to.
The woman who was about to step into her father's company as its rightful owner.
Elena took a breath and opened the door.
Whatever came next, she'd handle it.
She just hoped she was ready.